Non-refillable bottle



G. E. SM1-TH. NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 597,030. Patented Jam l1, 1898.

UNITED Srarns PA'rnN'r tries.

GEORGE E. SMITH, OF EXETER, NEXV HAMPSHIRE.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,030, dated January 11, 1898.

Application led February 1S, 1897. Serial No. 624,026. (No model.)

LTo @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residingat Exeter, in the county of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non-Refillable Botties; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it a ppertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in what are known as non--reiillable bottles, or bottles in which after once being filled and then emptied their identity will be destroyed, so that they cannot be refilled without being at once detected, thereby aii'fording protection to manufacturers of proprietary liquors against the fraudulent use of their bottles by imitators of their goods.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional View, partly in elevation, of the upper portion of a bottle constructed in accordance with ,myinvention and with my improved means for sealing or closing the same. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on'the line a; so, Fig. 1.` Fig. 3 shows a plan and an edge view of the disk, which rests upon the ribs in the neck of the bottle. Fig. e shows a plan and an edge View of the closing-ring before being inserted in the neck of the bottle and also a plan view of the same after being spread into annular form. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a modified construction. Fig. 6 shows a plan and edge view of the disk. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a closing sleeve or bushing which rests upon said disk. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of another modification. Eig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the stopper and the yoke connecting it with the disk. Fig. 10 is an elevation of an instrument for spreading the corrugated ring.

In the said. drawings, referring now to Fig. 1, the reference-numeral 1 designates a bottle, 2 the neck thereof, and 3 the mouth.

Formed in the interior of the neck 2 is an annular groove 4, with an intersecting groove 5 above the saine, forming a shoulder 6.

Just below the groove 4@ are a number of ribs or lutes 7, the upper ends of which form the lower side of the said groove. Seated upon said ribs is a thin circular plate or disk 8, of metal or other suitable material, which is inserted in place during the manufacture of the bottle and is of a diameter sufficient to allow the periphery to engage with said groove, so that it cannot be removed therefrom without exerting sufficient force to destroy its identity. Seated upon said disk is an annular ring E). This ring, before being inserted in place, is in the form of the corrugated ring shown in the views at the left, Fig. 4, so that it will be small enough in diameter to be pushed down into the neck onto the disk, where it is spread outward by the tool shown in Fig. 10, so that it will assume the circular or annular shape shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The tool shown in Fig. 10 comprises a rod 10, provided at the upper end with a head 10 and at its lower end is formed with a number of radial lugs 11, to which are pivoted the inclined ingers 12, the lower portions of which are made straight and provided at the ends with ears 13. The numeral 14e designates a circular slide embracing the upper portions of the lingers and provided with iinger-holds 15. A coiled spring 16 is interposed between the head 10ad and the slide 14.

The operation is as follows: The disk 8, as before stated, is inserted in place when the bottle is being made, and being smaller in diameter than the neck of the bottle there will be a space between its periphery and the inf terior of the neck, the ribs or flutes 7 holding it in place and preventing it from dropping down into the bottle. The bottle is now filled, when the corrugated ring is dropped into the neck and falls down upon the disk. The tool shown in Fig. 10 is then inserted in the neck and the slide 14 pulled up, which will contract the upper ends of the pivoted lingers and expand the lower' ends, and the ears engagin g with the inwardly-projectin g corrugations of the ring will press them outward, causing the ring to assume the circular or annular form shown in Fig. 1. This ring when thus spread out will be of smaller diameter than the disk and, tting against the shoulder 6,will close the openings between the disk IOO and bottle-neck and prevent the contents of the bottle from being' Withdrawn. To witlidraw the contents of or empt5T the same, a stick, rod, or other instrument is inserted in the neck and the disk pushed into-the bottle. After thus being pushed into the bottle the disk cannot again be put in place nor can a new one be inserted in the groove.

In the modification shown in. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 instead of employing' the Corrugated ring I use a sleeve or bushing,` 17 in lieu thereof, which is cemented in plaoe above the disk when the bottle is filled. The operation is the same as that before described.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the ring or sleeve is dispensed with and the disk is secured to a Vertical arm 1S, connected at its upper end with a longitudinal arm 19, the ends of which are bent uljivvardlyv and then inwardly and engaged with a cork or stopper 20. In pulling out the cork the disk is Withdrawn with it and cannot be again inserted in place. i

Having thus fully described inyinvention, what I claim is- Tlie combination With a bottle having two intersecting annular rgrooves of different diameters inthe inner side of the neck and a series of ribs forming the lower side of the larger and lower groove, of the disk of smaller diameter than said lower groove seated on said ribs and the corrugated ringinserted in the neck and seated on said disk and then spread into circular forni to engage with the upper groove, substantially as described.

. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

. GEORGE E. SMITH. `Witnesses:

O'rIs H. SLEEPER, EMMA C. SLEEPER. 

